When considering plastic furniture, what comes to mind is cheap materials that not only look cheap but feel cheap too.

In fact, plastic furniture has a lot of prejudices to overcome and many cannot even understand why there is still a market for such products.

But the fact is, they keep making them because people keep buying them. And with good reason. If there is a market for the product there will continue to be plastic furniture made for outdoor use.

Advantages of Plastic Outdoor Furniture

There are times and circumstances when purchasing plastic furniture is a best bet. If the budget is tight, and you just installed a new deck, you may not be prepared to invest in the upscale and more expensive outdoor furniture right away.

So, some plastic furniture may be the right thing to tide you over until you are ready to buy something better. A family with small children may not want to invest in something of higher quality, even if they can afford it, if they feel that their children may damage it.

This means waiting until they children get a little older or more responsible before they invest in higher priced outdoor furniture.

High quality plastic furniture can be found at a reasonable price, it also weathers really well and will stand up to the elements in all seasons.

The Disadvantages

Some plastic furniture is simply thin and cheap plastic, which generally does not last very long. A few rough moments in the wind and you may end up with several broken pieces to your set.

To keep buying replacements over and over again because they keep getting broken could actually cost someone more then just going with the better stuff to begin with.

Also, if a plastic chair breaks while sitting on it, the thin plastic could become sharp enough to cut someone.

If throwing a big party, the plastic furniture will not look as great as something of higher quality and you may find that the nice decorations you put out seem to dull down next to the cheap furniture. So even if you opt for plastic, go for the better and sturdier type.

Plastic can be uncomfortable and difficult to sit in for extended periods of time. This may make it difficult for some people to enjoy a party or gathering when having to be seated on plastic.

To get around this problem, removable cushions in a fabric that breathes can go a long way toward achieving comfortable seating even on plastic.

There is a lot to consider and as with most things, there is both good and bad to evaluate before you make your purchase.